Distribution node, automation network, and method for transmitting real-time-relevant and non-real-time-relevant data packets

1. A distribution node for an automation network comprising:

at least two input/output interfaces adapted for transmitting and receiving a plurality of real-time-relevant and non-real-time-relevant data packets within a data transfer cycle, and

a switching device connected to the input/output interfaces, wherein the switching device forwards data packets received via a first input/output interface via a second input/output interface using a switching table listing the plurality of real-time-relevant data packets within the data transfer cycle, each listing entry containing a discrete data packet identifier and a discrete transmission time within the data transfer cycle for the corresponding real-time-relevant data packet,

wherein the switching device detects a data packet identifier on reception of one of the real-time-relevant data packets and outputs said real-time-relevant data packet at the transmission time allocated to the detected data packet identifier in the switching table via the second input/output interface as a transmission interface,

wherein the switching device, on reception of one of the non-real-time-relevant data packets, detects a length of said non-real-time-relevant data packet in order to determine a transmission duration resulting therefrom for the non-real-time-relevant data packet, and

wherein the switching device continuously checks whether the second input/output interface is in a transmission-free state, and if the second input/output interface is in the transmission-free state, utilizes the switching table to determine a transmission pause duration, the transmission pause duration being a time period remaining within the data transfer cycle until the discrete transmission time of a next real-time-relevant data packet listed in the switching table, and checks whether one of the non-real-time-relevant data packets is present with a transmission duration which corresponds at most to the transmission pause duration for the second input/output interface within the data transfer cycle as the transmission interface in order to forward the non-real-time-relevant data packet via the second input/output interface in the event of a positive check result so that a mixed sequence of real-time relevant data packets and of non-real-time relevant data packets within the data transfer cycle can be forwarded, wherein said non-real-time-relevant data packet can be present between two of the real-time-relevant data packets within the same data transfer cycle.

2. The distribution node as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the switching device temporarily stores the non-real-time relevant data packet if the allocated transmission interface of the non-real-time relevant data packet is not released for forwarding.

3. The distribution node as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the switching device checks, on reception of the non-real-time-relevant data packet, whether the allocated transmission interface is free until the transmission of the next real-time-relevant data packet for the transmission duration resulting from the length of the real-time-relevant data packet, wherein, in the event of a positive check result, the non-real-time-relevant data packet is forwarded via the allocated transmission interface, and, in the event of a negative check result, the non-real-time-relevant data packet is temporarily stored.

4. The distribution node as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the switching device compares the transmission pause duration of the second input/output interface free for transmission with the transmission duration of non-real-time-relevant data packets allocated to the input/output interface as the transmission interface and present in the distribution node and selects, from the non-real-time-relevant data packets of which the transmission duration corresponds at most to the transmission pause duration, the non-real-time-relevant data packet to be forwarded according to a predefined criterion.

5. The distribution node as claimed in claim 4 , wherein a selection criterion is the transmission duration and/or a hold-up duration in the distribution node.

6. An automation network comprising:

a distribution node and at least one node, the distribution node comprising at least two input/output interfaces adapted for transmitting and receiving a plurality of real-time-relevant and non-real-time-relevant data packets within a data transfer cycle, and

a switching device connected to the input/output interfaces, wherein the switching device forwards data packets received via a first input/output interface via a second input/output interface using a switching table listing the plurality of real-time-relevant data packets within the data transfer cycle, each listing entry containing a discrete data packet identifier and a discrete transmission time in the data transfer cycle for the corresponding real-time-relevant data packet,

wherein the switching device detects a data packet identifier on reception of one of the real-time-relevant data packets and outputs said real-time-relevant data packet at the transmission time allocated to the detected data packet identifier in the switching table via the second input/output interface as a transmission interface,

wherein the switching device, on reception of one of the non-real-time-relevant data packets, detects a length of said non-real-time-relevant data packet in order to determine a transmission duration resulting therefrom for the non-real-time-relevant data packet,

wherein the switching device continuously checks whether the second input/output interface is in a transmission-free state, and if the second input/output interface is in the transmission-free state, utilizes the switching table to determine a transmission pause duration, the transmission pause duration being a time period remaining within the data transfer cycle until the discrete transmission time of a next real-time-relevant data packet listed in the switching table and to check whether one of the non-real-time-relevant data packet is present with a transmission duration which corresponds at most to the transmission pause duration for the second input/output interface as the transmission interface in order to forward the non-real-time-relevant data packet via the second input/output interface in the event of a positive check result, and

wherein each input/output interface is connected to the at least one node and the data transfer of the real-time-relevant and the non-real-time-relevant data packets takes place within the data transfer cycle in a mixed sequence, wherein the non-real-time-relevant data packet can be present between two real-time-relevant data packets within the same data transfer cycle.

7. The automation network as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the switching device of the distribution node temporarily stores the non-real-time relevant data packet if the allocated transmission interface of the non-real-time relevant data packet is not released for forwarding.

8. The automation network as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the switching device of the distribution node checks, on reception of the non-real-time-relevant data packet, whether the allocated transmission interface is free until the transmission of the next real-time-relevant data packet for the transmission duration resulting from the length of the real-time-relevant data packet,

wherein, in the event of a positive check result, the non-real-time-relevant data packet is forwarded via the allocated transmission interface, and, in the event of a negative check result, the non-real-time-relevant data packet is temporarily stored.

9. The automation network as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the switching device of the distribution node compares the transmission pause duration of the input/output interface free for transmission with the transmission duration of non-real-time-relevant data packets allocated to the second input/output interface as the transmission interface and present in the distribution node and selects, from the non-real-time-relevant data packets of which the transmission duration corresponds at most to the transmission pause duration, a non-real-time-relevant data packet to be forwarded according to a predefined criterion.

10. The of the distribution node as claimed in claim 9 , wherein a selection criterion is the transmission duration and/or a hold-up duration in the distribution node.

11. A method for transmitting a plurality of real-time-relevant and non-real-time-relevant data packets within a data transfer cycle in an automation network with a plurality of nodes and a distribution node which has at least two input/output interfaces and a switching device connected to the two input/output interfaces, wherein:

each input/output interface of the distribution node is connected to at least one node, and the distribution node forwards data packets received via a first input/output interface via a second input/output interface using a switching table listing the plurality of real-time-relevant data packets within the data transfer cycle, each listing entry containing a discrete data packet identifier and a discrete transmission time in the data transfer cycle for the corresponding real-time-relevant data packets,

the switching device detects a data packet identifier on reception of one of the real-time-relevant data packets,

the switching device outputs said real-time-relevant data packet at the transmission time allocated to the detected data packet identifier in the switching table via the second input/output interface as a transmission interface,

the switching device, on reception of one of the non-real-time-relevant data packets detects a length of said non-real-time-relevant data packet in order to determine a transmission duration resulting therefrom for the non-real-time-relevant data packet, and

the switching device continuously checks whether the second input/output interface is in a transmission-free state, and if the second input/output interface is in the transmission-free state, detects a transmission pause duration, the transmission pause duration being a time period remaining within the data transfer cycle until the discrete transmission time of a next real-time-relevant data packet listed in the switching table and checks whether one of the non-real-time-relevant data packets is present with a transmission duration which corresponds at most to the transmission pause duration for the second input/output interface as the transmission interface in order to forward the non-real-time-relevant data packet via the input/output interface in the event of a positive check result so that a mixed sequence of real-time relevant data packets and of non-real-time-relevant data packets within the data transfer cycle can be forwarded, wherein the non-real-time-relevant data packet can be present between two real-time-relevant packets within the same data transfer cycle.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the switching device of the distribution node temporarily stores the non-real-time relevant data packet if the allocated transmission interface is not released for forwarding the non-real-time relevant data packet.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the switching device of the distribution node, on reception of the non-real-time-relevant data packet, checks whether the allocated transmission interface is free until the transmission of the next real-time-relevant data packet for the transmission duration resulting from the length of the real-time-relevant data packet, wherein, in the event of a positive check result, the non-real-time-relevant data packet is forwarded via the allocated transmission interface, and, in the event of a negative check result, the non-real-time-relevant data packet is temporarily stored.

14. The method as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the switching device of the distribution node compares the transmission pause duration of the second input/output interface free for transmission with the transmission duration of non-real-time-relevant data packets allocated to the input/output interface as the transmission interface in order to select, from the non-real-time-relevant data packets of which the transmission pause duration corresponds at most to the transmission duration, a non-real-time-relevant data packet to be forwarded according to at least one predefined criterion.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14 , wherein a selection criterion is the transmission duration and/or a hold-up duration in the distribution node.

16. The method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the data transfer of the real-time-relevant and the non-real-time-relevant data packets takes place in the individual data transfer cycle.

17. The method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the data packets are Ethernet messages and wherein, in the case of non-real-time-relevant Ethernet messages, the data field for the length information is provided in a header section of the data area.

18. The method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the data packets are Ethernet messages and wherein, in the case of non-real-time-relevant Ethernet messages the data field for the length information is provided in a destination address section in a header area.